G+_Camden Bassett Posted July 11, 2017 Share Posted July 11, 2017 Hello Kitas, I want to preface this by saying that I know very little about how electricity and power conversion works. So if I say something that doesn't make sense, then please let me know :) I'm trying to assemble my own power storage system using a large battery, and I'm wondering if you have any tips/tricks for power conversion efficiency? For example, any tips for types of battery to use, how best to adapt the power coming from the battery to match whatever I'm charging, good ways to charge the battery using different sources, etc. On a maybe more theoretical level. I was wondering if it's generally more efficient to change the voltage from a DC source rather than using an inverter with a standard wall outlet then plug in the power chord for whatever device I want to attach. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_John Sullivan Posted July 12, 2017 Share Posted July 12, 2017 Whenever you do a voltage conversion you lose a little bit of energy to heat loss, internal resistance, etc. so the less converting you do, the better. You could use a standard automotive type battery charger to keep a 12 volt car battery charged, and then convert to whatever 5 volt, 9 volt, etc. outputs you need. If you expect to have long periods where the house current is out and you are running solely on your big battery, you would want to purchase a "deep cycle" one. (about $100 ) I'm working on a similar project. I recently installed a single solar panel on my roof, which outputs 19v DC. It came with a kit (for about $129.00) that included the panel, some wires and connectors, mounting hardware and a controller/converter that outputs 12 v DC. I connect that to a deep cylcle battery, so the sun keeps the battery charged for free (after initial costs). Any auto store also has 12v converters that have USB type output connectors, so I can just plug my phone, tablet, etc right in! I also bought a small, 12v fan and a 12 v LED spotlight at the auto store, and everything is standing by in case the power goes out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Peter Hanse Posted July 12, 2017 Share Posted July 12, 2017 I believe inverter typical 80-90% efficiency but each one has their own spec. You may want to check out this site battery1234.com - How to Make an Emergency Home & Mobile Battery Bank Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Robert Short Posted July 12, 2017 Share Posted July 12, 2017 Most battery storage system will use a deep cycle battery like used in electric forklifts as there designed with larger plates and can handle longer discharge like the solar system or wind turbines. Car batteries are designed for the cranking amp output high output for short bursts there ok to start as they are cheeper to start with and provide proof of concept sometimes used car batteries can help test the system but once that's done and the electronic are tested out and the room to install is laid out spending the money on the deep cycle battery is suggested Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Jon Papai Posted July 12, 2017 Share Posted July 12, 2017 Speaking of batteries, I wonder if this technology, not yet widely available, would be better than lithium or lead chemistries for home or utility scale storage. Apparently can discharge to zero percent, storage does not degrade, and no risk of fire. zcell.com - Home - ZCell Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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